The Gift Revisited
by Xander03
Summary: What if Buffy had used a different "gift?"


Title: The Gift, Revisited Author: Xander03 Rating: PG Summary: What if Buffy had used a different "gift?" Disclaimers: I own nothing. Joss is the man. I'm just adjusting a few details to make for a happier ending. Spoilers: Season 5, "The Gift," at least for a few lines.  
  
  
  
In the warehouse, Glory grabed Dawn, squeezing her face. "Funny thing... you've been here for a few hours now and I haven't seen big sis galloping in to save you. She probably knows what a terrible mistake that'd be."  
  
Dawn, appearing to be brave, said, "She's not afraid of you."  
  
Before Glory could respond to the comment, a loud explosion rocked the warehouse, sending both women to the floor. The sounds of metal twisting and falling were deafening. Screams of Glory's insane worshipers were interrupted by a second explosion and accompanying noises of destruction seconds after the first.  
  
Forgetting the scared teenager now huddled on the floor, Glory quickly regained her footing and ran outside. Shoving minions left and right, she came upon the source of the mini-earthquake: the shattered remains of her tower.  
  
"Someone blew up my tower!" She screeched. "Who the hell blew up my tower? Nobody blows up my tower!" Frantic now, she ran towards the debris, yelling at workers to put it back up. There was so little time, and now the platform that would hold the Key was decimated.  
  
Blindly Glory rushed toward the tower, toppling over one of the crazy workers. She grabs the girl, who she recognizes as that damn witch's girlfriend. "You! What are you doing here?"  
  
Willow appears between them and shoves her fingers into both Tara's and Glory's heads. "She's with me."  
  
White energy flows from the paralyzed women from Glory's head, through Willow, and into Tara. A white explosion sends all three sprawling in different directions. Glory stands, and is impossibly even angrier than before. Her gruesome minions run to her aid.  
  
"What the fricking hell did that bitch do to me?"  
  
The minions respond with words of false comfort. "You look fine, truly." "Stylish and affordable! Or."  
  
They are cut off when the now stumbling Glory interrupts. "She made a little, she made a hole. God I need a brain to eat."  
  
Continuing to grovel, one minion says, "Take mine, oh groove-tastic one!"  
  
"I said a brain, you worthless dirt! I got places to be! Big day! Need a brain!" Glory turns in circles, eyeing those around her, finally settling on a figure near the gate. "Suppose I could always use yours."  
  
Buffy stands, calmly with her hands behind her back. "Okay then. Come and get it."  
  
Glory tells her minions, "Don't let her sister get away," and watches for a second as they depart, unaware that Spike has already entered the warehouse and escorted Dawn to safety. She turns to face the Slayer again.  
  
"Target area: clear of innocent bystanders, check. Rear exhaust area: clear of innocent bystanders, check." Glory turns her head to look at the boy, Xander, who is giving instructions to Buffy, who is now holding some sort of cylindrical device.  
  
"Fire at will, Buffster."  
  
"Thanks Xander." Buffy fired a rocket straight into the chest of the hell- god. "I knew I could count on you to get me a gift that keeps on giving."  
  
Glory barely had time to dig herself out of the debris before the Slayer was upon her, this time with a gigantic hammer. Relentlessly, Buffy slams the hammer into Glory. Spike has returned, and together with Anya, Xander, and Giles, he runs towards Glory's minions.  
  
Finally, after beating her to an unmoving pulp, Buffy stops wielding the hammer and Glory morphs into Ben. He said, "I'm sorry."  
  
"Tell her its over. She missed her shot. If she ever, ever, comes near me and mine again."  
  
"We won't, I swear." Ben coughs up more blood with every word.  
  
Buffy leaves him on the ground, and rushes to find her sister. Ben looks up to see another figure, Giles.  
  
"Can you move?"  
  
"Need a minute. She could have killed me."  
  
"No she couldn't. Never. And sooner or later, Glory will re-emerge and make Buffy pay for that mercy, and the world with her. Buffy even knows that, and still she couldn't take a human life. Because she's a hero, you see. She's not like us."  
  
"Us?"  
  
Giles places his hand over Ben's mouth and nose. Ben struggles momentarily, and then stops. Giles leaves him there, and goes to find the rest of the gang.  
  
-End- 


End file.
